Improvement in slate-frames



UNITED Sfrrrrns PATENT OFFICE.

HENRY V. FARIES, OF T-OPEKA, KANSAS.

IMPROVEMENT IN SLATE-FRAMES.

Specification formingpart of Letters Patent No. 150,311, dated April 28,1874 application tiled March 18, 1874.

To all whom t may concern:

Be it known that I, HENRY V. FARIES, of Topeka, in the county of Shawneeand in the State of Kansas, have invented certain new and usefulImprovements in Slates; and do hereby declare that the following is afull, clear, and description thereof, reference being had to theaccompanying drawing making a part of this specification, in which-Figure 1 is a plan view of a slate containing my improvements, and Fig.2 is a section ot' the same upon line a: x of Fig. 1.

Letters of like name and kind referto like parts in each of the figures.

School-children experience much annoyance from the loss and breakage ofslate-pencils when not in use, it being difficult to properly care forthe same on account of their brittleness.

To obviate this difficulty is vthe design of my invention, whichconsists in providing, within the face ofY one side of a slate-frame, alongitndinal groove for the reception of a pencil, and twoinwardlyprojecting springs for holding said pencil within said groove,substantially as is hereinafter specified.

In the annexed drawing, A represents a slate inclosed within a frame, B,of usual construction. Within one face of one of the side rails of theframe B is formed a half-round groove, C,which extends longitudinallytherein, and has a sufficient size to enable it to contain a pencil, D.The ends of saidy groove incline upward and outward, and at or near itslongitudinal center is formed a circular cavity, c, that correspondstherewith in depth. Within suitable correspon ding recesses e and e,formed upon opposite sides, and near the center of the groove C, aresecured two springs, E and E', which are preferably formed of rubber,and, extending inward over said groove, have their ends in contact, asshown, said springs thus arranged being caused to bear upon the outerside of the pencil, and hold the same firmly within said groove.

The pencil is inserted lengthwise within its groove, its pointed endpassing readily beneath the springs; while, to remove said pencil, it isgrasped by the thumb and linger, (which are placed within the cavity 0,)and raised upward, the Vsprin gs yielding readily to permit it to pass.

The advantages possessed by this improvement are, first, the pencil isentirely below the surface of the frame, and is thus removed from allliability to injury when the slate rests upon a desk1 or when books arepiled upon it; second, as the pencil and holding-springs are below thesurface of the frame, they ott'er no obstacle to the use of the slate,nor do the groove and recess weaken or in any manner injure said frame;third, while eflicient and convenient for the purpose intended, thepencil-holding attachment will add so slightly to the rst cost of aslate as to enable the latter to be furnished at the same rates as thoseunprovided with such improvement.

Having thus fully set forth the nature and merits of my invention, whatI claim is As a new article of manufacture, the slate A, provided,within its frame B, with the longitudinal groove C and-holding-springs Eand E', substantially as and for the purpose speciiied.

In testimony that I claim thel foregoing I have hereunto set my handthis 9th day of March, 1874.

H. V. FARIES.

Witnesses:

It. C. HAWLEY, J. ARMsrRoNG.

